The Locket
by Deadly Poppy
Summary: So now, as a ghost, I search the beaches. But it’s always the same. No locket, no love, no life. Waiting for the death to simply consume me entirely. But it never does, so I continue my search. An Embry/OC imprint story! Please Readz and Reviewzies!
1. Prologue

Prologue

I walk these same sandy beaches every night, fading out of existence during the day. During the day, when the crowds come here to swim in the ocean, I have no purpose. No drive. But at night, I search the sand, hoping with each wave that the ocean will bring me back the one thing that I want.

But it never does. I wait, and I wait, and I wait, but the locket never washes ashore. My love is never returned to me. I am forever without peace.

Forever.

Because of that damned train, I lost the girl.

Because of that damned girl, I lost the man.

Because of that damned man, I lost the locket.

Because of that damned locket, I lost my life.

So now, as a ghost, I search the beaches. But it's always the same. No locket, no love, no life. Waiting for the death to simply consume me entirely. But it never does, so I continue my search.


	2. Too Manly

_Embry's POV_

_**I sat at Sam and Emily's kitchen table, eating dinner with the rest of the pack. Then Kim and Jared walk in, holding hands. I pretend to gag.**_

"_**Could you guys not be all gushy while I'm trying to eat?" I say.**_

"_**Hey," Jared says, "It'll happen to you one day!"**_

"_**Not me**_**," I scoff. "I'm too manly to be whipped like that."**

"**I'm not whipped!" Jared argues.**

"**Ow," Kim groans.**

"**What, what's wrong!?' Jared asks frantically.**

"**Oh, it's just craps," she says, looking up at him. "Do you think you could get me some Midol?"**

**He nods and runs out of the room. Kim grins at me, and I laugh hysterically.**

**Jared walks slowly back into the room. "You had cramps last week!" he accuses Kim. She nods, still giggling.**

"**Yeah," she says, "but that was **_**really**_** funny!"**

**Jared's face turns red, and I make a whipping noise. He shoots me a death glare before tackling me.**

"**Hey, outside," Emily commands. We grin at her.**

"**Aw, come one Em," I say. "We're just playing!"**

"**Not in my house," she says decisively. Jared and I sigh dramatically before standing up.**

"**I have to go anyway," I said. "I'm going to the beach."**

"**It's dark out," Emily said.**

"**Exactly," I grinned. "I'm going swimming when there's no one there. I can't freeze!"**

**Everyone looked at me like I was nuts. "You don't have patrol for the first night in a week," Seth said. "And you're going swimming?"**

"**Why not?" I asked. Seth opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead he shrugged. "I can't think of any reason not to," he said.**

**-**

**-**

**-**

**The walk to the beach was uneventful. When I got to the beach however, was an entirely different story.**

**I jumped into the cold water, not really feeling any different. But when I stood up and shook my hair out, I was a completely new person.**

**Because **_**she**_** was there.**

**Who was **_**she**_**? Well, I had no idea. But I had to find out.**

**But of course, I got distracted when I realized she was looking for something.**

"**Hello," I said. She looked at me as if I had three heads. Then she opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again and said, "Hello." She said it very slowly, as if she'd forgotten she could speak English.**

"**Are you looking for something?" I asked her. She nodded. "A sliver locket,' she said, sadly. "My most prized posession. It's been thrown into the ocean. I'm hoping it will wash up here."**

**That's when I noticed the girl was wearing a wedding dress, and her face was stained with tears. She was unbelievably pale, with almost translucent blonde hair and colorless eyes that had dark purple circles under them. Yet somehow, she was absolutely breathtaking.**

"**That's awful," I said. "I'll help you look for it."**

**And I did. I searched all night with her. Occasionally, she would be sure she saw it in the distance, and she would wade out into the ocean, despite my attempts to stop her, but she would come back without it.**

**Then, at just about dawn, I realized I had forgotten to ask her for her name. I turned around, just as the sun was rising, only to find that she was gone.**

**-**

**-**

**-**

"**Dude, that's freaky."**

"**Not helpful!" I told Seth in response to his reply after I told him about the events of last night.**

"**It wasn't s'posed to be," he said easily.**

"**How do I find her!?" I asked him frantically. He just shrugged.**

"**So is there any good reason I told you this?" I asked him.**

"**Yes," he said.**

"**What?" I asked.**

"**You're standing right there, so could you please put this wrapper in the trash can?"**

**I groaned and smack myself on the forehead.**

**This wasn't going to be easy.**


	3. This Exact Spot

Cassie POV, ten years ago

**I sigh, perfectly content.**

**He looks over at me, worried, misreading my sigh. I smile at him and he looks relieved, leaning over to kiss me.**

**Life is good. I can stay like this forever. Just walking on the beach with him, stopping only for a pretty shell, or to write **_**Cassie and Andy 4ever **_**in the sand.**

**Suddenly, I am flung into the air. I squeal in surprise, but once I realize that I am in Andy's arms I stop. I could get used to this. He carries me until we are just far enough into the ocean. Then he puts me down.**

"**I thought a lot about this," he says conversationally. "And I walked up and down the beaches, searching for the perfect place to do this. I chose this exact spot. Right here."**

**Then he gets down on one knee and I gasp. "Cassie," he says. "I love you. I am a very poor man, with not a penny to my name. but I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Promise me that you'll marry me?"**

**I nod, the tears blocking off my speech. So I just sit there, nodding and smiling like an idiot, tears streaming down my eyes, and he stands and kisses me. And the world is perfect. So blissfully perfect.**

"**Here," he says, pulling a small silver chain out of his pocket. On the end of it is a beautiful silver locket. "My father gave this to my mother when he proposed. I put our pictures in it."**

**I smile and kiss him. This is amazing. Everything I ever wanted, within my reach.**

**I should have known it was too easy.**


	4. The Passing of Time

**Embry POV**

"I hate everything!" I exclaimed, walking into Sam and Emily's living room the next morning.

"Why?" Emily asked, and I could see the concern in her eyes.

"I imprinted," I grumbled.

"That's amazing!" she exclaimed. "Why are you so upset!"

"Because I'm an idiot," I said. "And I didn't get her name and I can't find her anywhere. And because I imprinted on an albino girl in a wedding dress. But she's so beautiful…"

Emily looked at me strangely. "She was in a wedding dress? Did she get married? You imprinted on her at her wedding!" she exclaimed, looking ready to hit me with the wooden spoon she was holding.

I held my hands up in an I-surrender gesture. "I think she got left at the altar," I said, defensively. "She was crying, and looking for, quote "her most prized possession", a silver locket that someone threw into the ocean."

Emily's eyes widened. "Oh that's so sad!" she cried. "That's tragic, and horrible! But then you swoop in as her night in shining armor. Oh, it's so romantic!"

Sam walks in, wearing sweats, no shirt, and scratching the back of his head. Emily whacks him with the wooden spoon. "Ow!" he exclaims. "What!?"

"Why couldn't you be my night in shining armor?" she asks.

"In my defense, I have no idea what we're talking about."

She rolls her eyes. "Did you check the marriage announcements?" she said, turning back to me.

"Good idea!" I said happily. "Do you have any old newspapers?"

Emily gestures to a recycling bin next to the trash can. I get to work, searching every newspaper for the last two weeks. Nothing.

"It's not here," I complain. "Are you sure you didn't hear anything about anyone getting married?" I asked her.

She shook her head sadly. "No," she said. "If it were someone on the reservation I would know about it."

I nodded. Crap! How the hell was I supposed to find out who she was?

"Hey lover boy," Seth said, walking in. Emily whacks him with her wooden spoon.

Seth yelps and looks at her, rubbing the spot on his arm where he was hit. "What did I do!?" he asks.

"It's very romantic," she says. "Don't make fun of him."

"You've never hit someone for making fun of someone else!" he says.

"Would you like me to make up for it?" she asks, hitting him again. "Ok, there was that time," she hits him, "And another time," she hits him again. "And-"

"Okay, okay!" he complains, jumping out of the line of fire. Emily and Sam laugh, and I manage a small smile.

"Oh, are we hitting Seth?" Quil asks, coming in, followed by Jacob. Quil slaps Seth in the back of the head, and Jake punches him in the arm.

"Ooh, fun!" Leah exclaims, grabbing the wooden spoon from Emily, and hitting her brother.

"Leah!" he yells. She laughs. "Emily?" he asks meekly. She raises her arms up as if to say, I can't help you.

I sigh dramatically. "Well, I can't be around all you happy people right now," I say, walking out. "I have a depressed albino to find."

As I leave, I hear, "Did he just say a depressed albino?"

-

-

-

Okay, so my way of finding the girl ended up being walking around hopelessly, hoping I see her somewhere. I must have walked up and down those beaches a dozen times. Then the sun set. I groan and lay down in the sand.

"Guess I'll just sleep here," I say to no one in particular.

Then I hear a choked sob, and I look up instantly, and see the same girl as last night. Irun over to her, not wanting to miss my chance.

"Are you alright?" I ask her. She shakes her head. "I have to find it," she says. "It's…very important."

I nod. "Okay, I'll help you find it. We'll look all night again if we have to. I'm Embry by the way."

"Cassie," she says, with a small smile.

"That's a beautiful name," I say, unable to look away from her eyes. They had a strange emotion in them that I could place. Sadness…anger…aloneness…and, something else…What was it?

We walked all around the beach, searching for her silver locket. As we walked, we talked. "Why are you wearing a wedding dress?" I ask, unable to stop myself.

She sighs sadly. "I was supposed to get married," she says. "But things changed."

"That's horrible," I say.

"It wasn't meant to be I suppose," she says. Then she looks me in the eyes. "Do you love someone?" she asks. I can do nothing but nod when her eyes are locked onto mine like that.

"Then never leave without them. Not even for a short time. Not even if you swear on your life to some back."

I nod again. What was she talking about? I had a feeling that I didn't want to know.

"Did you love him," I ask.

She looks thoughtful. "I do. But it can never be now."

"Do you think you could ever love someone else?" I ask.

She shakes her head sadly. "I am to be forever alone," she says. I purse my lips to stop from telling her that she could be with me forever.

"What's your favorite movie?" I ask suddenly, desperate to change the subject. She narrows her eyes, as if trying very hard to remember. "The Wizard of Oz," she says finally.

"Ah, so you like classics," I says, nodding. "I don't really have a favorite. But I like horror movies."

"I've had enough of horror," she says, and I can't be a hundred percent sure she's still talking about movies.

"Have you ever noticed how the beach changes over time?" she asks.

"Yeah," I say. "It's never exactly the same."

She nods. "The passing of time," she mutters.

"It's always beautiful, though," I say.

"Yes, I suppose it is," she says thoughtfully.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" I ask.

"I had a sister," she says.

"Had?"

"She's not dead' she says. "But I no longer consider her my sister."

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask.

"She is the reason for everything," she said simply. She said it in such a way that I could tell that was all the had to say on the subject.

"What's your favorite book?" she asks. "The Outsiders." I said the first book title I could think of. We read that once in school.

"What's it about?" she asks.

"It's about this group of teenagers who no one really wants. They're called Greasers./ one day, two of the Greasers are attacked by some rich kids. They accidentally kill them while defending themselves. Then they save some kids from a burning building. The ending's pretty sad, because one of them dies."

She looks thoughtful. "Could I borrow it?" she asks.

"Uh, sure. Will I see you again?" I ask.

"I come here every night," she says. I'll have to remember to ask Sam about changing my patrol schedule.

Just as I see the sunrise, I realize that I haven't slept more than two hours in the last two days.

"It's a beautiful sunrise," I say, suddenly tired.

Her eyes widen. "I have to go," she says simply. I call after her, but she does not look back as she runs into the forest.


	5. We Could Elope!

**Cassie POV, 10 years ago**

I sigh sadly, looking at my packed suitcase.

"Are you sure you have to leave?' he asks. I nod.

"I have to tell my family," I say. "And make sure everything is in order for the wedding."

"We could elope!" he says excitedly. "We could run off and get married! Then we could come back and tell your parents! It would be so romantic!"

I give him a sad smile. "That would be romantic. But my mother would hate it. She has always wanted me to have a big wedding, and wear her dress. I can't disappoint her like that."

He sighs. "Promise me you'll come back?" he asks.

"Of course," I say. Then I unclasp the locket.

"Here," I say. "I'll give you my most prized possession. As a promise to come back."

"Your most prized possession?" he asks, his face lighting up. I nod and smile. "Forever," I say. Then I kiss him and leave for the train station.

I never thought that that would be the last time I ever kissed Andy.

-

-

-

"Mom!" I exclaim, running to hug my mother.

"Cassie!" she exclaims. "The last month has been so hard. Without you…well, money's been tight."

I feel suddenly guilty for what I'm about to tell her.

"Mom, I-"

"Cass!" my sister Maggie calls, running to hug me.

Then, ten minutes later, after hugging my family and assuring them my train ride was fine, I sit them down.

"Andy asked me to marry him," I say, smiling.

"And you said…!?" my mother says impatiently.

"Yes of course!"

My mother gasps, grinning wildly. My Aunt Trisha hugs me again. Only Maggie doesn't look happy.

What," she asks, her voice dead.

"I'm getting married?" I say, and it comes out sounding like a question.

"Good for you!" she says angrily. "I'm _soo_ glad you're marrying Andy and leaving us! I'm only fourteen! I can't work! Aunt Trisha's leg stops her from working! Mom can only do so much! How can you be so selfish!?"

I don't know what to say. "W-what?"

"Maggie!" our mother scolds. "Shush! We will be just fine! You should be happy for your sister."

"Congratulations," she says flatly. Then she runs to her room.

I should have done something there. Maybe if I'd gone to comfort my sister, things would have been different. Maybe if I'd gone to put a comforting hand on her shoulder and promised to visit and send money, I could have lived.


	6. Fading Away

**Embry POV**

"How's it going?" Emily asks eagerly, a week later. "Tell me everything!"

"It's…strange," I admit. "She is very mysterious. All I know is that she was going to marry this guy, Andy, but something happened with her sister, something terrible, and now she says her and Andy can never be together."

She nods thoughtfully. "But…" she says, clearly wanting me to tell her if I've made any progress with being with her.

"She's amazing," I say. "She said that she could never love anyone else, but I think she's really starting to fall in love with me. It's wonderful. When I talk to her, it's like I've found the other half of myself that I only recently knew was missing."

"Oh my god, that's so sweet! Why doesn't Sam say things like that!?"

I laugh. "He does," I say. "I have to listen to him thinking them."

"Then why doesn't he say them to me?" she wonders aloud.

"_Anyway_," I say, trying to return the conversation to Cassie. "I know it's a little soon, but…I think I'm going to tell her the wolf secret tonight."

Emily squeals. "Yes!" she says. "That is so amazing! That's wonderful! It's so…romantic telling her under the stars and the moon. By the water." She sighs, and I realize that Sam seriously needs to do something romantic for Emily, or she's not going to be able to help me with Cassie.

-

-

-

I was suddenly very nervous as I waited for Cassie that night. What if she doesn't believe me? What if I show her and she's scared? Crap, crap, crap!

"Hello Embry," she says.

"Cassie," I say, jumping up. "It's great to see you."

"You too," she says, smiling. Her face has lit up. I realize that her eyes are different than when I met her. I mean, they're the same color, but some of the sadness has drained away, and they seem less alone. But there's still that last emotion I can't place.

"Cassie…" say, but I trail off.

"Yes?"

"I…have to…do you like me?"

"Of course I like you," she says, smiling.

"But I mean, more than a friend. I know you said you couldn't love anyone after Andy, but…" She put a finger over my lips.

"Embry," she said, tears in her eyes. "We can't…be together." I could tell it was hard for her to say.

"I'm not…good for you."

"That's crazy!" I said. "I have to show you something."

I walked into the trees and phased. When I came back, she didn't look the tiniest bit scared.

She started to cry. "Embry," she said. "I already knew!" She started sobbing. "And you told me anyway! That's so amazing, and I think I may be falling in love with you, but-"

But I had phased and pulled my shorts back on. "Shh," I said. "No buts. I'm not even going to ask how you knew. Cassie, you and I are falling in love! That's amazing, and-"

But then the strangest thing happened. She…faded. Just a little bit. I could just faintly see right through her. I yelped in surprise.

"What!?" she asked, alarmed. "What's wrong."

"Cassie," I said. "I can…I can see through you!"

She screamed. "I'm so sorry Embry," she sobbed, before running off into the woods. I chased after her, but I couldn't find her anywhere. She was gone. Again.

Now all I could do was wait, and hope, and think. I did a lot of the next couple of hours. I skipped patrol, but no one came to get me. I sat there, and all I could think was, What is she?

The same word kept coming back to me, but I refused to believe it. Ghosts weren't real. They didn't exist. And then, a small voice inside me would say, Yeah, and werewolves don't exist either.

I sat there, and I thought, and I waited, and I hoped. All freaking day.


	7. The Letter

**Cassie POV, 10 years ago**

I sit in my room, Maggie's words playing in my head over and over again. Was I doing the right thing? Should I stay and take care of my family? It boiled down to one question.

Who did I care more about?

And the answer to that was my family.

So, sobbing, I sat down to write a letter.

_Dear Andy,_

_I love you, and writing this letter is the hardest thing I will ever do. I want to marry you, and spend the rest of my life with you. I want to have kids with you, and buy a house with you._

_But I can't. I have a responsibility to my family. I have to help take care of them. Ever since my father died, I've been helping take care of my family. Maggie needs an older sister, Mom needs someone to help bring in money, and Aunt Trisha needs someone to help her when she's in pain._

_I love you so much, and I will never, ever forget you, even if I live to be 100. I will always love you, and you will always be the most important person to me. But I cannot marry you now._

_I wanted to tell you this in person, but as hard as this is to write, it would be a thousand times harder to say it._

_Never forget me, as I will never forget you._

_Love forever and always,_

_Cassie_

I started sobbing uncontrollably. I couldn't do it. I couldn't send the letter. But I had to.

"Cassie?" my mother's voice asks, worriedly, from the other side of the door. She opens it.

She comes to put her arms around me. She starts to ask what's wrong, but stops when she sees the letter.

"Oh Sweetie!" she exclaims sadly. "Don't do this! Don't throw your life away! We'll manage fine without you. You are in love! Love only comes once in a lifetime. Don't ruin it!"

I nod, still sobbing at the thought of sending the letter.

"Shh," my mom said. "It's okay Sweetie. You two love each other. You're going to be together forever."

Yeah. Right.


	8. The Best and Worst Night of My Life

**Embry's POV**

It was the longest day of my life. Longer even than the day we fought an entire army of bloodsuckers. And every couple of minutes, I would remind myself that she might not even come.

She had to come.

I sighed, looking at my watch again. Noon. Mother Effer!

I decided that maybe sitting still was the problem. I jumped up and ran to the ocean. The water felt good against my legs. I stayed in the ocean for hours. Finally, when I decided I was sick of the ocean, I went back onto the beach. I looked at my watch again.

Twelve fifteen.

This day was getting longer and longer.

-

-

-

Finally, the moment of truth. The sun was just setting, and I heard a muffled sob in the distance.

I jumped up and within seconds I had reached her. She was sitting there, lying on her side in the fetal position, sobbing. She didn't notice me. I laid down next to her and wrapped my arms around her. That was the first time I realized how cold she was. Even for a human that had to be unnatural.

"Cassie," I said quietly. "You can tell me. I love you."

There I said it. Not, I'm falling in love with you, but I love you. I pursed my lips, waiting for her response. It didn't escape my attention that I could still see through her.

She sat up, not meeting my eyes. "You won't understand," she said.

"Cassie, there's something about us wolves that you probably didn't know. It's called imprinting. It's when we find our soul mate. You can never leave her, and you protect her at all costs, and seeing her upset nearly rips you in half. Cass, I imprinted on you."

This brought on a new round of tears. "Oh, Embry!" she cried. "It's…not…you wouldn't…I can't!"

"Shh," I said quietly, stroking her hair.

Then I kissed her. She didn't react at first, then she kissed me back. That lasted for a few moments, then she pulled away. "This is wrong," she said, but I could tell that every cell in her body was screaming otherwise.

That's when it happened again. That fading thing. Before it was only a little. Now I could definitely see the ocean on the other side of her.

"Cassie, you have to tell me," I said. "Please. It's killing me not to know."

"I didn't almost marry Andy two weeks ago," she said, after a long pause. "It was ten years ago. And I have been looking for the locket ever since then. Because…well, I don't know how to say this, but, the day I lost the locket, I thought I saw it in the distance, and I swam, out to get it, and…Embry," she said, looking into my eyes. "I died ten years ago."

I shivered involuntarily. I was in love with a ghost. A beautiful, amazing ghost, who needed me.

"Why are you looking for the locket?" I asked in a small voice.

"When I…died…I heard a voice. It told me I couldn't move on yet. It said that I had lost something. I told the voice that I had lost everything. It said I needed to regain what I had lost before I could move on. So I've been searching for the locket."

"So why are you disappearing?" I asked, lifting up our hands. Mine was dark and tanned, and hers pale and transparent. The contrast was shocking.

"I don't know…" she trailed off, looking thoughtful. "But I didn't only lose the locket."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"I lost Andy. I lost my love. Maybe, falling in love…is regaining what I've lost."

"So I'm losing you?" I asked, miserably.

She nodded, bursting into tears again.

"Well, I have you now," I said. "And for now, hat's all I want to think about."

And we laid there for hours. Her in my arms. It was the best night of my life. But it was also the worst.


	9. Please

**Maggie POV, ten years ago**

How could she!?

How could she leave us when we needed her?

How could she leave me?

She's my older sister! I look up to her! I beg her to let me borrow her clothes! I ask her for advice! And now she's leaving me to go to La Push! So far away…Leaving me behind.

I decide to go talk to her. Maybe if I don't lose my head this time, I can get her to see how much I need her here.

I knock on her door, but there is no answer. So I push it open. "Cassie?" I call silently. No answer. She's gone out. I see something on her desk. It's a letter.

After I read the letter, I realize this is why I heard Cassie crying earlier. And Mom said that she didn't have to.

She wasn't going send the letter. She already knew how much we needed her, and she was going to leave anyway.

That selfish brat! Without thinking, I grabbed the letter and ran out the door, heading to the train station.

When I got there, I used all my savings and bought the next ticket headed to Seattle. I waited for a while before I heard the announcement that our train was boarding. Suddenly, I was having second thoughts. I couldn't do it. No, I wouldn't. I would go back home.

There was an announcement that my train was about to leave, and I sighed as I stood up to go home. He made her so happy, I couldn't take that away.

Then I saw her. She looked angry. Not sad, but totally angry. She was mad at me. Seeing her made me remember my rage, and I ran as fast as I could to get to the train. I made it on board just in time. I caught her eye out the window as the train was pulling out of the station. The anger faded, giving way to sadness.

The last thing I ever heard my sister say was "Please."


	10. Scars

**Embry POV**

I saw the sun coming up, and I held Cassie tighter.

"I'm not going anywhere," she said softly.

"But, the sun's up," I said, confused. "Don't ghosts have to leave when the sun's up?"

She laughed sadly. "No. I did because I only search the beach at night. I had no purpose at night, so I dimply faded into nonexistence. Now I have a purpose."

I nodded thoughtfully. "So, why are you wearing a wedding dress?"

She looked down. "Oh, I forgot about that. I get so used to it."

"Would you like me to get you something else to wear?" I asked.

"Yes please," she said, smiling appreciatively.

"Come on," he said. "There's some people I want you to meet."

She stopped, gesturing to herself. "You can see through me," she said flatly.

"Yeah, well, it's not like they won't find out about you anyway," I said. "You see, when we're in wolf form, we can hear each other's thoughts."

"Oh," she said. "Wow. Will they be okay with…me?" she asked carefully.

I grinned. "They'll be happy I imprinted."

She smiled, and followed me into Sam and Emily's house.

She looked around, her eyes wide.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"I haven't been anywhere but the beach and the woods in ten years," she said.

"Oh right!" I said. "I forgot. Anyway, just a moment. Emily! Sam!"

They walked into the kitchen.

Emily looked thrilled, but her expression soon turned into the one Sam was wearing. Confusion, and a little bit of worry and…fear?

"Uh, guys," I said. "This is Cassie. She's…um…well, Cassie's dead."

Emily gasped, and Sam just looked really confused.

"She's a ghost," I said. "And she's…disappearing."

"Oh goodness," Emily said. "That is very strange. I hope you don't mind my saying so, but not much surprises me anymore, what with werewolves and vampires. But being a ghost definitely was something I didn't expect."

To my surprise, Cassie smiled. "It was a little hard for me to get used to as well," she said.

"Um, Em?" I asked. "Could Cass borrow some clothes?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Come here honey."

They went upstairs, and Sam looked at me. "Disappearing?" he asked cautiously.

I felt myself go pale at the thought of it. "Well, she couldn't move on because she'd lost something. But she thought it was a locket that had been thrown into the ocean, and she spent the last ten years searching the beach for it. Then she met me, and we fell in love, and she realized that what she had lost that she needed to regain was love. And now that she loves someone, she's…moving on."

"Wow," he said. That was all.

I nodded. "It's hard to think about. But I guess we're coping."

"Are you gonna be okay. You know, when…" He didn't need to finish the sentence.

"I don't think so," I answered truthfully.

"Well, we're all-" he was cut of by a scream from upstairs.

We looked at each other, then ran up to check on the loves of our lives.

"What's wrong!?" we asked, both equally frantic, outside the door.

"No, no," Emily said from inside. "It's fine. We got a little scared, that's all. Here, Cassie, we can cover that up. Just wear a longer skirt…"

Sam and I looked at each other, confused. We knew one thing though. We weren't leaving this door until they came out.

And a moment later, they did. Cassie was wearing a long black skirt and a long-sleeved white shirt.

"What happened?" Sam and I asked at the same time.

Cassie sighed and lifted her skirt, revealing her mangled legs, cut and bruised and nearly green. She rolled up a sleeve, revealing the same thing.

"I didn't realize," she said. "For the past ten years all I did was wander up and down the beach. When I took off the dress, I saw myself in the mirror, and It scared me. I've seen my reflection in the water before, but it was dark, and I was wearing the dress. But when I saw that my hair had no color, and my eyes…" she trailed off, shuddering. "Anyway, she said. "I guess that's what ghosts look like."

"And the scars?" I asked, unable to forget the horrible sight.

She looked sad. "I suppose that's from having my body lying at the bottom of the ocean for 10 years."

"They never found your body?" Emily gasped. Cassie shook her head sadly.

"Well," Sam said. "I was talking to Embry a moment ago, and I think you two should go talk to Carlisle."

"Carlisle?" Cassie and I asked at the same time.

"The leader of the vampire coven," I explained to her. "Remember?" She nodded. "But, why Carlisle?" I asked Sam.

"Because he's been around a lot longer than any of us," he said. "And he's seen a lot of things, and met a lot of different cre-types." I could tell he had been about to say creatures, but didn't want to offend Cassie.

I nodded. "Maybe that's a good idea."

-

-

-

We walked up the steps to the Cullen household. I heard four things at the same time.

Emmett: "Aw, now it smells even worse here!"

Jake: "Embry!"

Alice: "I'm blind!"

And Edward: "Carlisle, I think they _really_ need to talk to you!"

Cassie started laughing hard when I told her who had said each of the things. I had told her all about the vampires last night.

The entire Cullen family plus Jake greeted us in the living room. They all wore different expressions.

Emmett, Rosalie, Bella, Esme, Nessie, Jake, and Carlisle looked confused.

Alice looked impressed.

Edward looked just plain shocked.

It was a little funny really.

"Everyone," I said. "This is Cassie. My imprint."

Jake looked like he wanted to congratulate me, but when he realized he could see through my girlfriend, he thought better of it.

"She's a ghost."

Everyone gasped. Bella…rolled her eyes?

"I don't suppose she ages either?" she asked. Huh. I thought she'd gotten over that.

Everyone laughed, but then their attention turned back towards Cassie and I.

"We need to talk to Carlisle," I said.

He took us into his office and we explained everything. He listened without interrupting. Finally, when we finished, he looked thoughtful and said, "Strangest story I ever hears. And I'm a centuries old vampire."

"Do you know anything that could help us?" I asked eagerly. He looked serious.

"I may be able to help. But there's a decision you have to make."

"I'll do anything to keep Cassie," I said. And I meant it.

"I could…change her."


	11. I Murdered Her

**Maggie POV, 10 years ago**

I got off the train, battling a thousand emotions. I directed a cab driver to take me to La Push. The drive took too long for my liking, but I got there eventually.

Once I did, it didn't take long to get to Andy's house. I didn't know where it was, but Cassie had described it so many times it was easy to find. I knocked on the door.

"Maggie?" Andy asked the moment he opened the door. I put on a sad face and handed him the letter. It only took him a moment to read it. He looked right through me, at the beach.

Without a word, he ran to the back of the house, grabbed something silver, and ran to the beach, throwing it into the ocean. I watched wordlessly, realizing what I had done. I tried to stop him, but he got in his car and drove off. I never saw him after that. I sat on the beach, sobbing. About an hour later, Cassie came to the house. She took one look at me sobbing, and her face fell, and I watched through her eyes as her heart shattered into a million pieces.

"Where's the locket," she asked, her voice dead. I pointed out into the ocean, and she screamed. Then she started swimming. I watched her searching frantically for the last thing she had of the person she loved. Then it hit me. She was wearing her wedding dress. I remembered her once saying something about how romantic it would be to run away and get married with Andy. if she had caught him, she was going to run away with him. She would have all she ever wanted.

And I had ruined that.

Disgusted with myself, I started sobbing again. I didn't notice as a large wave hit. I did notice when I couldn't see her anymore. I realized she wasn't answering me when I screamed her name. she wasn't there.

I had killed my sister.

My sister.

I had killed her.

There was a sharp pain in my chest as the realization hit me. I had never felt guilt as bad as this. The guilt was literally going to rip my heart from my chest.

And I wanted it to.

Because now, all I wanted was to be with my sister.

And I couldn't.

Because I had murdered her.


	12. Once Drowned and Twice Dead

**Embry POV**

I would let her do it.

I wanted her with me forever.

I wanted her, more than anything.

I could live with the smell.

The smell was nothing.

And the pale skin, well, she was already pale!

She was already cold. It was nothing.

I could just be like Jake. Never stop phasing, and I could be with her forever.

I turned to look at her, and my heart shattered. She was crying.

"I don't want to," she said through tears. "I can't be that."

"W-what?" I asked shakily.

"I can't feed off the lives of innocent people or animals. I can't live forever when you might someday stop phasing and die. I can't repulse you with my smell when all I want is to hold you. _I can't do that._"

"Cass…"I didn't know what to say.

"I can't Embry! I can't! You told me that they hate what they are! I don't want that! I just want to be alive again! And that's not possible!"

She was sobbing into my chest. I held her tightly, as if that was going to stop her from disappearing.

"Then I have to let you go," I said, so quietly it was almost a whisper.

"Really?" she asked.

"If that's what you've decided, I have to understand that. Cassie, I love you, and if you don't want to do it, I can't make you."

"I love you too Embry," she said. That was the first time she'd really said it. Then, suddenly, she began to feel lighter. I was holding air against my chest.

"Cassie!" I cried, but it was no use.

"I love you Embry," I heard once more, but it was so quiet, it wasn't even a whisper.

-

-

-

**Cassie POV**

Death was strange. And I experienced it twice.

The first time it was easy. I was swimming, searching for something I knew I would not reach. But I tried nonetheless. Suddenly, there was a huge wave. I accidentally let go of the air I had been holding in. then there was darkness. Up was down and down was up, and time made no sense. There was nothing. There wasn't light, but at the same time, it wasn't dark. It was just pure, total, absolute nothing.

There are no adjectives to describe the nothing. It wasn't there. It wasn't white, or black, or any color in between.

It wasn't a feeling, or a place, or a thought, it wasn't there at all. But at the same time, it was everywhere.

To this day, I remember the voice, and it's exact words.

"Cassie," it called. Loudly, but also so soft it could have been a whisper in the wind. "Cassie."

I wanted to answer it. "I'm here," I tried to tell it. But no words would come out.

"Cassie, you have lost something."

I tried to nod my head, but the nothingness blocked all movement. "I've lost everything," I said in my mind.

"Cassie, without it, you cannot be finished."

I wanted to ask it what I was supposed to be finished with, but somehow I knew inside of my mind. If only it would come to the surface of my mind, so I could think of it.

"Cassie, you are going back. Find what you've lost. Get it back. Regain what you've lost."

And here I was. One this same beach, looking at the ocean. It was dark. "What I've lost," I though to myself. The locket!

And so began my search.

And then, years later, but at the same time only seconds, I was back. The nothingness was familiar now. And I knew there was something new, something I had to go back for this time, but I couldn't place it.

But it was important!

"Cassie," the vioce called again. And this time, I struggled against the nothingness to answer it.

-

-

-

**Embry's POV**

I wondered what heaven was like for Cassie. I hoped it was amazing. I hoped that I would someday see her there. Someday.

I couldn't wait that long.

Without Cassie, life meant nothing.

She was everything, and now she was gone.


	13. Jump

**Embry POV**

"Dude, you haven't moved in three days!" Seth exclaims.

It's true. I've been lying here in the sand, the exact spot she left me in. well, not totally true. I needed to use the bathroom a couple times, but the ocean was right there…

"Dude, just come back. You must be starving."

I wasn't. I hadn't eaten in three days, but I was fine. All I kept thinking was, Cassie hasn't eaten in ten years. And she'll never eat again.

"Embry," Jake says. "I know you're upset, but just come back. You can lay on Emily's couch and mourn.

I shake my head.

"She's not coming back," Brady says. I hear someone hit him, but I don't look up to see who.

"What he means is, you're lying here like you expect her to be there soon. She's gone," Jake says softly.

"Gone," I repeat quietly. "Forever."

-

-

-

**Cassie POV**

It's been forever, but also only seconds. There's something important! There was a pause. A noticeable pause.

I drowned, then the voice told me I lost something. Then I went back, and something happened.

What happened?

And why am I back here?

I struggle against the nothingness. I finally open my mouth, only to realize that the nothingness is choking me.

But there's something important.

More important then my own life.

"What is it!?" I scream. Then the nothingess releases my throat. I am standing in a meadow. It's unlike anything I've ever seen.

The grass is green. Almost too green. And the sky isn't any color. The only word to describe the sky is bright. It was burning my eyes. And there were trees all around.

"Where are you going Cassie?" a voice asks mockingly from behind me.

"There's something I left behind," I say, looking for the source of the voice.

"But you went back to find your love," the vioce says. "And you've found it. Now you can move on."

At the word love, everything comes back. Embry. I have to go back for Embry!

I love him.

"I have to go back to Embry!" I scream.

"I'm afraid that's quite impossible," the voice says. "My dear, you can never go back."

-

-

-

**Embry POV**

Together they lift me up and begin to carry me to Sam and Emily's. at that moment, I see something sparkling in the sand next to the water.

Without thinking, I jump away from them, ignoring their yelps of surprise, and run to it. I forget for a moment where I saw it, and I drop to my knees, digging around for it in the sand.

I find a small silver chain. This is it, I think, as I lift it up. On the end of the chain is a small silver locket. It is old and worn away. I try and open it, but the ocean has sealed it shut. I try and force it open. If it has a picture of her, I _will_ open it.

-

-

-

**Cassie POV**

"Your love misses you," the voice says tauntingly.

"Show yourself!" I scream.

"Ah, mustn't break the rules," it says. "Your love has found your locket."

Thinking about Embry, I had almost forgotten the thing I had spent ten years searching for. "The locket," I whisper.

"Ah, that strikes a chord," says the voice. "But you don't care about that anymore. Then locket. You once left me for the man who gave you that locket."

"W-what?" I say, confused.

"Ah, miss me sister?" Maggie asks, walking into the meadow.

"Maggie?" I ask in disbelief.

"I'm not dead," she says conversationally. "You see, they locked me in an insane asylum when I told them I'd murdered you."

Her face dropped. The evil, taunting façade gone. "They told me you'd drowned, and it wasn't my fault. But it was. I murdered you."

She started crying.

"Why are you here, if you're not dead?" I ask cautiously.

"You see," she says, still crying. "When they put me in the asylum, I started having visions. I saw this meadow. And a voice spoke to me, telling me I had murdered you. But it told me I could have one more chance. It said I could help you. And I wasn't going to. I was going to get my revenge. I have the power to do that now."

"But I see that you love that man down there," she continues. "And, Cassie," she says. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

She crumples to the floor, and I throw my arms around my sister.

"I forgive you!" I cry. "It's okay, Maggie. But is there any way I can go back?" I beg.

"The locket," she says through tears. "I kept it from you all this time. But now…" she trailed of.

"Now!?" I ask frantically. Maggie, I need to know!"

"If the locket is opened, you have a chance. One tiny second to jump from this place back into the human world. To be alive again. You new love…Embry, he's about to open it. Don't miss your chance!"

I hug my sister one last time. Then I prepare myself to jump.

-

-

-

**Embry POV**

This stupid locket won't open!

Disgusted, I throw it aside. Then, as I'm about to walk back to Emily's house, I hear, "Open it Embry," so quiet that it could be the wind.

But I pick the locket up again, and this time it opens easily. There is a small bit of ruined paper inside. It must have been a picture at one point, but the ocean had destroyed it.

I start to sob again, but then I see something.

Someone.

Lying on the ground was a girl. About my age, with black hair, pale skin, and bright green eyes. She doesn't move for a moment.

It's Cassie, a voice tells me. And it is. The skin isn't as translucent white, and the eyes and hair aren't colorless, but it is definitely my Cassie.

She begins to cough. Then she rolls over and spits up a lot of ocean water. She sits up, looking at me as if she's very confused.

"Embry!" she cries happily, after a long nervous pause. I throw my arms around her.

"Am I hallucinating?" I ask her.

"I don't think so," she says.

I look at Jake and Seth to be sure. Their mouths are hanging wide open.

I lift up Cassie and carry her over to them. "Come on boys," I say, grinning.


	14. A Closed Case! Or Not

**Cassie's POV**

"Dinner's ready!" Emily calls.

"Ooh, what're we having?" Paul asks, sticking his finger in it. He makes a disgusted face and announces loudly that Emily has "lost her touch." Emily hits him with the wooden spoon and tells him that he's just tasted the jar of fat that was taken off the chicken.

"I love chicken!" Maggie announces.

I can't help but feel weird (again) that Maggie is older than me. When I had died I had been twenty. I had stayed that way, and come back to life at twenty. But Maggie had been aging that whole time, and she was now twenty four.

It was a little hard find out what hospital Maggie was at, but once I did it was easy to get her out. She didn't tell the doctors of course, but she remembered what she did for me.

Apparently, the entire time I'd been dead, Maggie, had been convinced she'd murdered me. That's all she would ever say, though sometimes she mutter something about revenge. Then, when I'd forgiver her, she'd simply broken out of her trance. She was back to normal.

When I showed up, telling the doctors I'd take her home, they were more than happy to release the newly sane Maggie to me.

They were a little surprised when I told them who I was. Luckily, they only knew that Maggie thought she'd murdered me, not that I'd actually died, so it didn't take much to convince them.

"Hey guys," Sam says. "I was looking around on the internet the other day, and I found this." he shows us a printed newspaper article about…my death!

"Let me see it!" Embry, Maggie, and I say all at the same time. Sam thinks about it, then hands it to Maggie.

"Everyone listen up!" I say, though it's unnecessary, because I already have their full attention.

"The headline is: A Closed Case. Or Not."

"Last month, Cassandra McMullan, aged twenty, drowned at First Beach. Miss McMullan was apparently going to meet her alleged fiancé, Andrew Celtic. Her sister, Margaret McMullen, when asked for further information, screamed that she had murdered her sister and burst into tears. Margaret is now a patient in the psychiatric ward at Seattle Grace Hospital. Cassandra's body was never found. When found in Seattle, Andrew Celtic denied that he had any intention of marrying Cassandra, and was, in fact, engaged to Mary Harrison. Some say this is a simple case of a girl desperate for love. Others say her sister somehow brought on her death. This reporter thinks there's more to the story. More later."

Everyone was silent, looking at everyone else. Then, at the same time, we all started laughing. "That asshole!" I screamed in between giggles. Saying I was never engaged to him! The nerve of that idiot! I died for him!

"What did the next article he wrote about us say?" Maggie asks, grinning.

"Nothing," Sam answered. "He got fired the next day!"

After that, Emily announced that dinner was served, and we all argued about seating. Everyone wanted to sit next to their imprint. Seth laughed at us all.

"Glad I'm single," he said, having already chosen a seat.

"You won't be able to say that for long," Sam said.

Seth snorted. "I'm not gonna imprint."

"Ya know," I told him. "When I said that, I met this really strange girl on the beach."

We all laughed. Then Seth said, "Well yeah, but I think I have the common sense not to imprint on a zombie!"

Everyone laughed but me. Seth went pale as he stammered to apologize. "Cass-I didn't mean-what I-don't be-"

I walked over the counter and grabbed the wooden spoon. Then, grinning, I smacked him with it.

-

-

-

**Okay, that's the story! Some of you may think it's a little weird, but I like it! If you like it, let me know and I may write a sequel!**


End file.
